Life-boat.



L. A. WILCOX.

LIFE BOAT.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. II, 1915.

Patented Mar. 14, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET ld E F 1 M n oaooooaooooooooe amuawboz L. A. WILGOX.

LIFE BOAT.

APPLICATION ILED MAR H, I915. 1,175,93. Patented Mar.14,1916.

2 SHE ETSSHEET 2.

o .E l I K a LOUIS A. WILOOX, 0F CHATHAM, ONTARIO, CANADA, ASSIGNOR 0FONE-HALF TO ALBERT H. ARMSTRONG, 0F CHATHAM, ONTARIO, CANADA.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. it, 1918..

My invention relates to life boats, shown I in the accompanying drawingsand more particularly described in the following specification andclaims.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an inclosed boat inwhich the occupants may be kept dry, protected from the wind, andthereby relatively comfortable.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pendent platformlocated within the inclosing outer shell of the boat upon which thepassengers may be seated, the construction being such that it will notroll with the outer shell upon motipn be- L ing imparted to the latterby the waves.

A still further object is to provide means adapted to supply air andventilation to the chamber in which the passengers are housed, and toautomatically close the air and ventilation tubesagainst the entry ofwater in the event of awave crest rising above the open end of thetubes.

A still further object is to provide for the admission of air from thebulkheads into the chamber housing the passengers, should it becomenecessary to temporarily supply them with air pending the delivery offresh air through the ventllating tubes.

A further object is to provide for the admission of light to thepassenger chamber, and means for sealing the hatchway door,

into the chamber against the admission of water.

A further object is to provide suitable storage compartments for foodand water beneath a centrally arranged longitudinal seat carried by thependent platform.

Other advantages and improvementswill he. eafter appear.

In the drawings accompanying this specification, Figure 1, is a planview of the boat. Fig. 2, is a horizontal central sectional view of thesame. Fig. 3, is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through the boatshowing parts in elevation. .Fig. 4, is a central cross sectional view.Fig. 5, is a fragmentary detail in section, showing the locking meansfor securing the hatchway door in position. Fig. 5 is an invertedfragmentary view of the shell and locking hook. Fig. 6, is a detail viewof one of the automatic valves for controlling the admission anddelivery of air through the air and ventilating tubes.

Referring now to the letters of reference placed upon the drawings, A,denotes the outer shell of the boat, preferably constructed of sheetmetal, comprisinga central cylindrical compartment A, to which arefitted cone-shaped sheet metal ends A A B, and B, are tubular memberssupported at their outer ends by the coneshapgd walls A, A to which theyare on" ga e and C, the inner ends of the pipes B, and B, project and towhich they are bolted, forming with the ends A A air tight compartmentsto insure buoyancy.

D, is a pendent platform having side walls- D concentric with the outershell A;its end walls D being journaled on the ends of the inwardlyprojecting pipes B, B, which serve as supporting trunnions. D denote endframes secured to the pendent platform'and clamped to the end of theprojecting end of the ventilating tubes housed within the pipes.

are bulkheads through which E, E, denote ventilating tubes respectivelysleeved within the plpes B, B, andopening into the central chamber Atheir ends extending upwardly to a point preferably above the top of theboat.

' F, F, indicate stufl'ing boxes sleeved on the ventilating tubes,having a screw threadedj engagement with the pipes B, B,--up0n adjustingwhich a water tight joint may be had between the ventilating tubes andthe pipes B and ,B.

G, G, denote valves controlling the admission and passage of air throughthe ventilating-tubes, adapted to automatically close against the entryof water into the ventilatin tubes bv the action of the floats H, H,which rise and fall with the waves. The floats H, H, are provided withan adjustable stem H, engaging a slotted rocking arm H pivoted in thestandards E extending upwardly from the ventilating tubes.

G is a valve stem projecting upwardly from the respective valves G, G,engaging 1116 other slotted arm of the rocking lever G is a valve guidedirected downwardly from the valve G, G, into the tubes and providedwith openings G through which air passes to the ventilating tubes uponthe valve being raised from its seat.

E denotes a lug formed on the standard E to limit the upward movement ofthe v ve. I

I, is a valve controlling the delivery of air from the bulkheads C, G,itbeing obvious that air may also be admitted through the valve into thebulkheads.

J denotes a sliding trap or hatch door.

J indicates a lazed window throu h i which light may be admitted to thecentral inclosed chamber.

J are guides to receive the frame of the sliding hatch door.

J is a suitable gasket carried by the door 'to insure a water tightjoint.

.K, designates a swinging latch carried by the door having suitableoperating handles K, by which it may be rocked.

K indicates a pin projecting inwardly y from the wall of the centralchamber engaged'by the latch.

L, is a central longitudinalsly arranged seat mounted on the floorof thependent platform upon which the passengers may sit back to back. Thecover of the seat is hinged and below the cover is provided convenientlocker noon; for storing water, food, and other supplies L.

Having indicated the several parts by reference letters the constructionof the boat will be readily understood.

Upon the passengers entering the boat through the opening provided, thehatch or trap door J ,is slid into place and secured" by means of theswinging latch K;,'the

I occupants resting upon the seat secured to that the pendent platformD, will not rotate with the outer shell. It will also be apparent thatair and ventilation are provided by means of the pipes, E, E, and thatthe valvesG, G, (adapted to be seated in the open ends of theventilating tubes) will be held constantly open by the weight of thefloat chamber H, acting upon the rocking lever H with which the valvestem is connected;unless the waves should rise suf- 1. In a boat, ashell having cone shaped v ends, bulkheads arranged at the inner ends ofsaid cone shaped ends to divide the shell into end air compartments andan intermediate passenger chamber, tubular members connected at theirends to the apices of the cone shaped ends and extending throughthebulkheads into the passenger chamber, ventilating tubes extendingthrough said tubular members and at their inner ends opening into thepassenger chamber, the outer ends of the ventilating tubes extendingupwardly, valves connected to the ventilating tubes, means forautomatically closing the valves to prevent the entry of water throughthe ventilating tubes into the passenger chamber upon submersion of theouter ends of the tubes, and a pendant platform suspended from the innerends of said tubular members.

2. Ina boat, a shell having cone shaped ends, bulkheads located in theshell dividing the shell into end air compartments and an intermediatepassenger chamber, tubular members connecting the outer ends of the coneshaped ends and the respective bulkheads and leading into the passengerchamber, and valved ventilating tubes extending into the passengerchamber through said tubular members andon which the shell is journaled,the valves of the ventilating tubes being arranged so as toautomatically close the ventilating tubes when the latter are submergedand to open when the tubes proj ect out of the water, and valves in thebulkheads.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification in the presence of twowitnesses.

LOUIS A. WILGOX. Witnesses:

ALBERT H. ARMSTRONG, SAMUEL E. THOMAS.

